Breakfast Charcuterie Board
Perfect for any breakfast fan, this breakfast charcuterie board is the ideal way to graze on breakfast favorites like meat, eggs, pancakes, fruit, and bagels.
This post contains affiliate links. Read the disclosure policy.
Table of Contents
- About Breakfast Charcuterie Board
- What you’ll need to make a charcuterie board
- What Should you include on a breakfast charcuterie board?
- How long can you leave out a charcuterie board?
- Notes & tips for a breakfast charcuterie board
- More great breakfast recipes
- How to assemble a breakfast grazing board
- Recipe Details
About Breakfast Charcuterie Board
Called either a charcuterie board or grazing platter, this breakfast charcuterie board combines all the deliciousness of breakfast in a free-for-all presentation that’s eyecatching and perfect for crowds or events.
What you’ll need to make a charcuterie board
- Choose a wide, flat tray or board – You could go as simple as a baking sheet or go all out with a beautiful wooden board – both are amazing bases for charcuterie. But no matter what you pick, make sure it is at least 9×13 inches in size (and bigger is always okay). If you find that you’ve purchased more food than your tray or board can hold, you can always use the extra to restock the charcuterie board as guests have their fill.
- Prepare your board – If your chosen board is unfinished wood or you plan on having lots of juicy foods, lay a piece of parchment paper or wax paper on the board before adding the food.
- Cheese knives – These are short, stout knives that are designed for smearing cheese. Many cheese knife sets also include other knives that are great for cutting or serving from a charcuterie board.
- Tongs – A charcuterie board is a smorgasbord of finger food, but that doesn’t mean that guests have to serve themselves with their fingers. If you’ll be proving tongs, make sure you have enough for the meats, one for cheese, and one for “everything else.”
What Should you include on a breakfast charcuterie board?
Any bite-sized or finger-food friendly breakfast foods will do, but if you’re looking for suggestions, try:
- Meats – Sausage links or patties, ham, bacon, candied bacon, smoked sausage.
- Cheese – Cubed or sliced smoked gouda, cheddar, pepper jack, or cheese spreads.
- Eggs – You can make scrambled, fried, boiled.
- Bread – Biscuits (canned, frozen, even homemade), bagels, croissants, waffles, pancakes, scones.
- Sweet breads – Donuts, cinnamon rolls, donut holes, muffins.
- Potatoes – Cubed with onions and peppers, hashbrowns, tator tots.
- Gravy – White gravy, red eye gravy, or sausage gravy.
- Cream cheese – Regular or flavored.
- Condiments – Jellies, butter, syrup.
- Drinks – Coffee, milk, creamer, orange juice, champagne.
- Fruit – Strawberries, orange slices, raspberries, blueberries, apple slices, melons, bananas.
- Vegetables – Tomato, onion, cucumber, etc.
- Other fillers – Yogurt, granola, cereals.
- Platters – wooden cutting boards, metal trays, small serving bowls, spoons and plates.
How long can you leave out a charcuterie board?
Whenever you serve a grazing board like this for your guests to enjoy, you should always keep track of how long it sits at room temperature.
For most foods, the general rule of thumb is that a perishable item should not be in the “danger zone” for more than two hours. And by “danger zone”, this is usually at or just above room temperature.
So, in total, this elaborate dish can be left out for “about” two hours, depending on the start temperature and the temperature of the room. However, be sure to still check the dip every now and then – meats and cheeses and be tricky like that.
Once you’re near the recommended time, you can set it in the refrigerator (if it’ll fit) or disassemble it for storage, refrigerating the individual parts. If your guests still want more tasty eats, either let the cold items chill for at least 30 minutes and/or warm up the toasted and cook items per the package instructions.
Notes & tips for a breakfast charcuterie board
- Make sure to include some items that people don’t have to cut or use silverware to eat (finger foods are always a hit) but also include small plates for those that prefer to collect their favorites and graze.
- If you’d like more information on charcuterie boards, be sure to check out this post: Classic Charcuterie Board (A How To Guide).
- Don’t hesitate to buy frozen or refrigerated items that you can just heat and serve. The key to a grazing board is fast and easy.
- Layering is a simple way to make room for more food and a “3D” prentation for the platter. You can layer by adding mini bowls on the board and placing another bowl on top. This will raise the bowl and it can be crowded in, overlapping a plate or bowl.
- A great grazing board will be crowded with items. You want everyone to feel like there is lots to choose from.
More great breakfast recipes
How to assemble a breakfast grazing board
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.
Step 1 – Pick a few showcase items (like items heavy in protein or large pieces of bread) and plate or place them on the board.
Step 2 – Next, add spreads and other items best served in bowls or small dishes.
Step 3 – Fill the gaps of the platter with smaller finger foods or breads. You can use lids or other plates to stack items, allowing for more room on the board and creating a neat presentation. If you can, keep foods that are similar in color from being next to each other.
Step 4 – Serve and enjoy!
Breakfast Charcuterie Board (Breakfast Grazing Board)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pound meats, such as ausage links or patties, ham, bacon, candied bacon, or smoked sausage
- 8 ounce cheeses, such as cubed or sliced smoked gouda, cheddar, pepper jack, or cheese spreads
- 1 pound egg, such as scrambled, fried, or boiled
- 1 pound breads, such as biscuits (canned, frozen, even homemade), bagels, croissants, waffles, pancakes, or scones
- 1 pound sweet breads, such as donuts, cinnamon rolls, donut holes, or muffins
- 1 pound potatoes, such as cubed with onions and peppers, hashbrowns, or tator tots
- 1 pound gravy, such as white gravy, red eye gravy, or sausage gravy
- 6 ounce cream cheese, regular or flavored
- 6 ounce condiments, such as jellies, butter, or syrup
- 8 ounce fruit, such as strawberries, orange slices, raspberries, blueberries, apple slices, melons, or bananas
- 8 ounce vegetables, such as tomato, onion, or cucumber
- 8 ounce other fillers, such as yogurt, granola, or cereals
- drinks, such as coffee, milk, creamer, orange juice, or champagne
Instructions
- Arrange your chosen ingredients and prepare them as needed (cooking, heating, cutting, etc). Bring bowls, plate, platters, silverware, and glasses over to your work area.
- Begin by choosing some “main” showcase items (such as items high in protein or large breads) and plate or arrange them directly on the serving platter.
- Next, fill bowls with jams, gravy, berries, and other items you need to stay stationary or contained on the board. Arrange the big bowls around the showcase items, then add the smaller bowls.
- Finish by filling any gaps with smaller items. If needed, use lids or more mini bowls to stack or layer items. Strive to keep items of a similar color far apart from each other.
- Serve breakfast charcuterie board with silverware, plates, and glasses.
Notes
Nutrition
I do my best to provide nutrition information, but please keep in mind that I’m not a certified nutritionist. Any nutritional information discussed or disclosed in this post should only be seen as my best amateur estimates of the correct values.
